Osimhen Doubtful For U-23 AFCON; Awoniyi, Success To Make Squad

Top scorer at the recently concluded FIFA Under-17 World Cup Victor Osimhen and former captain Erhun Obanor might have lost out in their ambition to make the Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations-bound Nigeria team due to illness, Complete Sports reports.

A camp source in Gambia confirmed to Completesportsnigeria.com that the duo have been sidelined by malaria and injury that may have put paid to their hope of making the final cut for the U-23 AFCON.

According to the source the duo were looking good to make the final cut before an unfortunate illness knocked them out and probably out of the final selection that will head to Senegal this week.

Osimhen who was drafted in to the U-23 Eagles by coach Samson Siasia following his exploits at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Chile was reportedly down with malaria while former captain of the team Obanor was reported to have failed medicals.

Our source further revealed that Siasia, although pained by the loss of these two players, remains confident that he has a good squad to go to Senegal and pick one of the Rio Olympics tickets.

Meanwhile, Siasia is expected to submit a final list of 21 players that wIll wear Nigeria’s colours at the championship. Of the 21 players, only four are expected to be foreign-based.

The four foreign-based players who made the final cut are Taiwo Awoniyi, Junior Ajayi, Isaac Success and team skipper Ikechukwu Azubuike who have a Wednesday deadline to report to the team’s camp in Gambia.